Agri-food trade resilience among food-deficit countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper examines the trade resilience of low-income and food-deficit countries (LIFDCs) during COVID-19 pandemic. Since pandemic declaration, LIFDCs have faced unique challenges due to their heavy reliance on food imports. identifies differential effects lockdowns agri-food exports using a dynamic treatment model monthly product-level data. The baseline results show sharp decrease in first three months after declaration gradual recovery afterward. Additional analyses at product country levels that focused securing cereal products from foreign sources imports other contracted considerably relative counterfactual. supply chains were less resilient quarter than those countries, but was also faster countries. provides empirical underpinning for concerns raised by international organizations regarding containment measures, revealing impact had developing world.